It's In His Heart (A Red River Valley Novel) Read Free Page B

River because it reminded her too much of all the country bumpkins back in her hometown, well, that was just nauseating.
    He stared at the bedroom ceiling and listened to the shower. With the bathroom next to his room, he could hear her moving around, even knew when she picked up the bottle of liquid soap and set it back down. She was in there, all steamy and wet, rubbing handfuls of Old Spice body wash all over herself. He had forgotten what a great body she possessed. A little short for his taste, not scary thin, just filled out and rounded in all the right places. The rain-soaked Nike running shorts she wore had molded to her thighs and hips, reminding him of how fit she was. Not so muscular that she lost her feminine allure, but just enough to look healthy and lush.
    After the hot water washed her clean and warmed her up, she would put on the T-shirt he’d offered her. What else could he have done, since her luggage would have to stay in the car until morning? That ill-timed act of chivalry now had him in a state of misery. The minute he’d handed the white undershirt to her, his overactive imagination produced images of what would be underneath. Or, more precisely, what wouldn’t be underneath.
    He swallowed hard.
    “Jesus, she’s my best friend’s widow.” And she just attacked me with pepper spray , so get over it. Besides, Ella seemed like the type to prepare for any eventu ality. If she carried pepper spray and a Taser in her purse, she probably had a veritable department store of extra clothing tucked in there, too.
    Lifting his head, he looked down at the tented sheet.
    Nope, not getting over it anytime soon. His head fell back on the pillow.
    His latest experience with a member of the opposite sex should’ve rendered him incapable of such an intense reaction. That nightmare had led to this self-imposed exile to Red River.
    She thinks she’s staying all summer. Coop snorted. As if he’d let that happen. It was too late to argue about it tonight. Plus, he needed time to come up with a good reason why she had to leave. Immediately. He couldn’t tell her the truth. Not unless she’d already heard about his situation. God, he hoped not. Since he hadn’t been arrested yet, his attorney had managed to keep it out of the news. No, he doubted she knew, or else she’d have been her usual smug, condescending self. When it came to him and his confirmed bachelor lifestyle, she let her disapproval glow like radioactive waste.
    She never made an appearance at the cabin when Bradley was still alive. She probably thought the “hicks” here were beneath her. She usually made Bradley take her on some ridiculous historical vacation. Okay, she was a history teacher. He’d give her that much. But she’d made it clear that Red River wasn’t up to her lofty standards, which had always been fine by him. He’d preferred that Bradley come alone, so they could do guy stuff like fishing and rafting. So they could drink beer at night with their feet up on the coffee table, and burp or scratch themselves without Cinder-Ella staring down her nose at them.
    So, why now?
    The shower shut off. After a few minutes of Ella doing whatever women do in bathrooms, the door opened, and footsteps retreated down the hall. The wood planks creaked under her feet. She called for Winston to follow, and her door clicked shut.
    He ran two fingers across his bloated eyelids. Tomorrow, the first order of business would be to drag her car out of the ditch, then get her on the road and out of his life.

C hapte r T hree

    Ella yawned and wandered into the empty den, Cooper Wells far from her thoughts. She grabbed a crocheted afghan off the sofa and tugged it around her shoulders. Pulling the front door open, she whistled to Winston. “Come on, boy, go outside.” Winston hustled outside for his morning constitutional, and Ella snuggled deep inside the handmade-by-Granny blanket, stepping out onto the wooden porch. The crisp mountain air filled her